PORTVILLE, N.Y. — I was one of those strange kids in high school who could write well over the mandatory composition word count in English class. I didn’t understand when friends groaned, wondering how they could ever squeeze out 150 or 250 words.

I learned the unique elation of knowing others might actually read and appreciate a piece of writing when my friend Marcy and I tag-teamed our own serial versions of Nancy Drew mysteries, using our friends as main characters. It was great entertainment to see the stories build as we passed them around our Portville classrooms.

I didn’t keep journals till I was in my mid-20s, but the year our daughter went to kindergarten, almost out of the blue I poured my heart out in the mornings by writing a pretty bad (never published) novel. It was a beginning, I believe, of God’s intention to equip me for a writing future. Finishing that book at least proved I could sustain a narrative.

Soon after, I journaled sporadically, but was also plenty busy caring for our daughter Michele and her special needs. When Gordy worked at Michigan State during his grad school years, Michele and I accompanied him on a trip out west where he checked in on MSU students doing work experiences on farms and ranches. I couldn’t help but write about all that and ultimately made my first magazine sale to Michigan Farmer. One profiled a young woman Gordy mentored at a time not many females pursued ag careers. This cowgirl later opened a hunting lodge in a western state with her husband.

I made my living back then with clerical jobs, primarily 17 years in special transportation among some of the coolest people in the world — school bus drivers. My employer welcomed my skills for district flyers and publications. Somewhere in there, I started (and much later finished) an actual study of journalism, but couldn’t put the degree to use right away.

After participating in some writer’s conferences, some published presenters preached, “If you want to learn to write tight, go to work for a newspaper.” I followed the advice with a career move to journalism. And boy, did it hurt when I saw some of those first articles full of red ink or blue pencil marks from editors or worse, printed stories cut off before they ended. The Portville gal who overwrote had to learn the craft of reining in ideas and writing just enough.

Blessings came as some writing dreams came true since those early days. More than a thousand columns now after 30 plus years of crafting them. Probably thousands of news and feature stories. At least 12 anthology volumes that included my stories, one piece of fiction, and a new one coming in a Guideposts book called, “Living the Word.” Sometimes my mind traveled back to that dream of publishing a book where I was the sole author, only fiction didn’t really seem to be my lane. Success started with ghosting books for two World War II vets who had Purple Hearts and fought the Battle of the Bulge. (More training…) I found I leaned more toward true stories of life, using skills honed at newspapers. By the time I began journaling regularly, primarily as conversations with God, my efforts turned more toward faith-based publishing.

Last year, one of my dreams came true with publication of “Dance While the Music Still Plays,” a family memoir about our lives as we raised a child with incurable Spinal Muscular Atrophy. This was the first of several manuscripts I’d tinkered with and stockpiled over many years. It was cathartic to share this story.

I’m happy to report another of my dreams just came true with release of a second book, “Chased by Demons, Caught by Grace — Winning Psychological and Supernatural Battles.” It’s a strange little book but a true story encompassing grief, faith, mental health (the trying phenomenon of hearing voices) and spiritual warfare. It documents some events that took place 20 years ago. Portville Free Library staff have kindly agreed to host a Book Launch on Monday, April 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. My prayer is sharing will help someone.

Now that I’m writing books and bringing dreams to fruition, I have to confess I still overwrite, like that naïve Portville Central student. But I’ve also learned to edit. I have to harness the main idea and then build the story, knowing I can always trim it during the editing process.

When you dream big, they may not all come true right away. Some may be just that — dreams. But there can be pockets of success along the way. It may take a lifetime to walk through the things you hope to accomplish but my advice is don’t give up. Take in the scenery as you navigate each step. Learn from the mistakes, but enjoy the ride at every level!

(The new book is available at Amazon. com, or contact contributor Deb Wuethrich at deborahmarcein@gmail.com to learn how to obtain a copy locally.)